The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-04-14

is known as the night of the drop. From
the kingdom of the myths, traditional
belief comes to our times, that during
this night a mystic and magical drop
from heaven falls into the Nile, and
starts its rising. Anciently it was
tear of Isis, the beautiful goddess with
ambrosial locks, and it fell near her
sacred home, the Isle of Philae. At
once the sympathetic river began to
swell, and Sirius looked on with a bril-
lance which outshone the sun, for the
soul of that star was Isis.
The genius or deity of the sacred
stream was Hapi Mou. He is repre-
sented as a fat man, Of a blue color,
with aquatic plants for hair. The
god has two statues at Luxor, and
was employed in binding the thrones
of the Pharoahs with the lotus and
papyrus of Upper Egypt. The Greeks
used to say it was easier to find
a god than a man. on the Nile
banks, and we readily imagine idols of
the benefcent deity ever present on the
shores Of Father Nilus. The water was
SO delicious, the old Sultan transported
it to sConstantinople. Persian Kings
carried it with them for their banquets,
and Roman general rebuked his SOL
diers for demanding wine in its pres
ence.
The rise begins at Syene, and in an
cient days the priests, in gorgeous gar
ments, with music and solemn incanta-
ton chanted their hymns, and speeded
forward the torrent rushing toward the
thirsty sands. That solemnity was the
grandest event of the year, and was
celebrated with incredible pomp. A
lovely virgin of noble birth was crowned
with garlands, and thrown into the
river, the bride of the Nile, to insure a
plentiful inundation and generous har-
vest.
| The Arab conqueror abolished the
heather sacrifice, and the river did not
rise for three months after the usual time
Of increase. The people were fright
ened, and AmroA wrote to Caliph Omar
to tell what was. done, and of the
threatened calamity. Omar returned
brief answers, expressing appreciation
of Amrou's action, and enclosing, in q
letter, a note to be thrown into the
Nile. 1t ran as follows: '.From Add.
Allah, Prince of the Faithful, to the Nile
of Egypt. If thou flowests of thine
own accord, then cease to flow; but il
it be God, the Almighty, who causetl
thee to flow, then we implore God, the
One. the mighty, to let thee fow."
Amrou obeyed the command of thu
Caliph, and 10! the river rose sixteer
cubits the following night. In Cairt
the breaking of the Nile is still cele
brated. The dahabeeyahs are illu
, mined with lanterns and dressed witt
flags, little boats fly across the twink
ling waters, and the air resounds witt
! melancholy hymns of women in choru
y of song, ending in wailings any thins
but festaf to our ears. In the tents OIL
r shore are dancers, musicians, reciters
: laughter and feasting, vari-colore'
lights, and a dazzle of bright arms ant
q costume.
B At midnight the men begin to worl
on the dyke, and at daybreak the Khe
dive and attendant officials, in splendi
! uniforms. appear in tent overlooking
the embankment, and testify that tn
& Nile has reached the height for burst
: ing the dyke. The testimonial is for
4 warded to the Sultan. The Khediv
q scatters small coin in the shallow edg
: of the river, the poor dive for them i
j. the mud, and evil-minded and maliciou
n tourists say the small coin grows small
n er, and fewer in number, every year.
$ There are misty legends that tn
/. bride of the Nile is now represented b
. waxen image of a girl, blooming an
J. decked in bridal robes; but could fin
II no foundation in truth for the story
d Nor could learn when and where
e was the custom to seal a mummy fnge
q in costly casket, and fling it an offel
d ing to the god of the bursting rive
= One remnant of the obsolete Ger,
n mony survives in the rigging of larg
n boat called Akabeh by the Arabs. 1t
v painted in brightest colors and illun
n ined with f1aring lamps and streamer
l. You may leave Cairo in the afternoo
on this sacred vessel, and sail to tt
|, Isle of Rhoda Cor roses), and from i
q deck watch the night-long pageant. /.
S In the rosy glow of morning rocke
q and cannon, and thunderous shouts /,
le multitudes announce that the, Nile h;
le risen.
n At Rhoda, the traveller may see tt
n Nilometer or measurer of the overfo
l. "a deep well connected with the riv'
II by subterranean canal, so the heigl
If of the water in the well is precisely th
e of the Nile. In the center is an e.
Is ceedingly slender eight-sided pillar. e
4 which exact markings of the. rise a.
e kept. Under twenty feet gives
ID scant harvest; under eighteen fe
/ Fs I'M